


Bedside Manner

by ThatWeirdSkittle



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatWeirdSkittle/pseuds/ThatWeirdSkittle
Summary: Based on "Imagine being the only nurse who'd talk to Frank" from imaginestuffandthangs on tumblr.
Relationships: Frank Castle x Reader Word Count: 812 A/N: Y’all I love...">
Kudos: 23





	Bedside Manner

**Author's Note:**

> Based on "Imagine being the only nurse who'd talk to Frank" from imaginestuffandthangs on tumblr.

“I can’t go in there!” You frowned as you approached the nurse’s stand. Two of your coworkers were standing over the duty roster, clearly arguing over a room. You sighed, knowing that this meant you would be asked for a trade. You wondered if it was the handsy old man in 4C or the violent woman in 4A. You weren’t sure which you were hoping for.

One of the nurses heard you coming and turned, her eyes lighting up as you walked over to fill out the log.

“Can we swa-“

“Yeah of course, which room is it?” You asked, not bothering to look up from what you were writing.

“ _Frank Castle,_ 4G.” She lowered her voice, as if the patient would some how hear her from all the way down the hall. The name sounded familiar.

“That Punisher guy?” You asked, frowning. From what you had heard, he had been a model patient ever since he realized where he was. That didn’t seem so terrible.

“Yeah! Did you hear what he did to that guy’s face?” The other nurse asked, whispering conspiratorially. You nodded.

“Yeah, but did you hear what he did to deserve it?” You asked. You picked up the new clipboard, not bothering to wait for a response. The other two nurses returned to their gossip, relieved to be free of the patient.

You knocked on the door to 4G before opening it. The patient was… not exactly what you were anticipating.

“Oh boy, you sure look like shit.” Okay, so it wasn’t the most professional thing you could have said, but the patient really _did_ look like shit. His face was cut up and bruised, the skin underneath one eye darker than the leather strap on your watch. To his credit, he laughed, a grin pulling up the left side of his mouth.

“Yeah?” He asked, looking up at you, bemused.

“Yeah.” You answered. “Let me guess, I should see the other guy?” You asked, busying yourself with checking his IV drips. That one got another laugh out of him. When you turned back to him, he was watching you, that lopsided grin still on his face. He might be cute, under all the cuts and bruises.

“Nah, this one’s all on me, I’m afraid.” He admitted sheepishly. You clicked your tongue, checking the various pieces of equipment connected to him.

“They pay you more to talk to me?” The question came out of nowhere, and it took you a moment to realize that it was directed at you, despite the fact that you were the only person in the room.

“Huh?” You paused, pen centimeters away from his chart. He made a vague gesture to indicate the hospital staff.

“The other nurses are all scared of the Big Bad Punisher. How’d they get you to talk?” He asked. You raised your eyebrows.

“You find away to get them to pay me for _anything_ extra and I’ll give you a cut. Way I see it, you’re not very scary all confined to a hospital bed, looking like someone kicked your ass.” You answered. You scribbled down his vitals on his chart and hung the clipboard at the foot of the hospital bed.

He laughed, really laughed that time, clutching his side as the movement strained his broken ribs. It took him a moment to catch his breath and then he was looking at you like you were some kind of present, just for him.

“You are really something.” He said, shaking his head, “You don’t watch the news?” You knew what he was asking. _Don’t you know what I’ve done?_ You shrugged.

“I watch it plenty.” _I know why you did it._

The silence stretched long between you. You should have left already. You needed to eat lunch eventually, and he wasn’t supposed to be your patient anyway. Still, there was something in his face that told you that you had said exactly what he didn’t know he needed to hear. He swallowed, his eyes never leaving your face.

Whatever he was looking for, he must have found it because he just smiled softly and leaned back into his bed. _Oh fuck._ If anyone had told you that a smile from the Punisher would make you weak at the knees while you were working, you might have punched them. That, though, that smile was something you didn’t think a man with his history could muster anymore.

“Try to come by and insult me some more. Keep me humble.” He said, winking with his less-injured eye. You laughed, rolling your eyes at him as you stepped towards the door.

“Oh, of course. Wouldn’t want you getting a big head, might irritate the lacerations.” You felt warm as you left the room, wondering how many rules about bedside manner you had managed to violate, and how much you actually cared.


End file.
